Information Notice No. 88-97, Supplement 1: Potentially Substandard Valve Replacement Parts

                                  UNITED STATES
                          NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
                      OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C.  20555

                                 April 28, 1989


Information Notice No. 88-97, SUPPLEMENT 1:  POTENTIALLY SUBSTANDARD VALVE 
                                                 REPLACEMENT PARTS 


Addressees: 

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power 
reactors. 

Purpose: 

This supplement is being provided to update information concerning potential 
problems resulting from the manufacture and distribution of valve replacement 
parts that may be substandard.  It is expected that re-cipients will review the
information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as 
appropriate, to avoid similar problems.  However, suggestions contained in 
this information notice do not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no 
specific action or written response is required.  

Description of Circumstances: 

On October 21, 1988, Consumers Power Company (CPCo) submitted a 10 CFR Part 21 
report to the NRC regarding valve internals for Masoneilan-Dresser Industries 
(M-D) valves that were found to be manufactured by companies not authorized to 
manufacture M-D valve parts.  The M-D valve internal replacement parts were 
procured as non-safety-related from Sample-Webtrol Controls Incorporated 
(S-W), Livonia, Michigan, an authorized M-D sales representative.  S-W records 
indi-cate that all of the parts were manufactured by and procured from either 
Cor-Val or Control Valve Specialists, Incorporated (CVS), both of whom are 
located in Houma, Louisiana.  Some of the parts were found to be dimensionally 
and, in some cases, metallurgically incorrect.  

On December 22, 1988, CPCo updated its October 21, 1988, 10 CFR Part 21 
report.  CPCo identified an additional 13 parts that were not genuine M-D 
parts.  These parts were procured by CPCo from H. H. Barnum, the M-D 
authorized sales repre-sentative that preceded S-W.  Six valve plug retaining 
pins were found to have undersized expanded diameters.  Five of the six pins 
were supplied to H. H. Barnum by the M-D Houston facility, although M-D could 
not determine the manu-facturer.  Seven valve seat rings were found to be 
dimensionally incorrect.  Two of the seven seat rings were manufactured by 
CVS; however, the manufacturer of the remaining five has not been determined. 





8904240246 
.                                                       IN 88-97, Supplement 1 
                                                       April 28, 1989
                                                       Page 2 of 2


On March 8, 1989, discussions with M-D and CPCo personnel revealed that 15 
additional M-D valve internal replacement parts (out of 239 parts inspected) 
recently were found to be nonconforming.  CPCo procured the parts from either 
S-W Controls or H. H. Barnum.  Twelve of the fifteen nonconforming parts were 
identified by either tags or packaging that indicated the parts originated 
from the M-D Norwood, Massachusetts, facility.  The origin of the remaining 
three nonconforming parts has not been determined.  At this time, the 
manufacturer of the 15 nonconforming parts has also not been determined. 

Discussion: 

From a review of the circumstances, it appears that potentially substandard 
valve internal replacement parts may possibly enter the nuclear parts supply 
system either directly from secondary source manufacturers (e.g., CVS and 
Cor-Val) or from the distribution centers of original equipment manufacturers.
In the examples discussed, a licensee ordered parts for safety-related 
applications as commercial grade and failed to adequately verify that the 
parts would perform their function.  The authorized distributor procured the 
parts from both the original equipment manufacturer and secondary sources 
without ensuring, in all cases, that the parts were equivalent.  In addition, 
the original equipment manufacturer purchased parts from subcontractors and 
did not adequately verify that the parts would fulfill their function. 

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.  
If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the technical 
contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional 
office.  




                                   Charles E. Rossi, Director
                                   Division of Operational Events Assessment 
                                   Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

Technical Contact:  Joseph J. Petrosino, NRR 
                    (301) 492-0979 

Attachment:  List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices 
.                                                       Attachment 
                                                       IN 88-97, Supplement 1 
                                                       April 28, 1989 
                                                       Page 1 of 1

                             LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED
                             NRC INFORMATION NOTICES
_____________________________________________________________________________
Information                                  Date of 
Notice No._____Subject_______________________Issuance_______Issued to________

89-42          Failure of Rosemount          4/21/89        All holders of OLs
               Models 1153 and 1154                         or CPs for nuclear
               Transmitters                                 power reactors. 

89-41          Operator Response to          4/20/89        All holders of OLs
               Pressurization of Low-                       or CPs for nuclear
               Pressure Interfacing                         power reactors. 
               Systems 

88-75,         Disabling of Diesel           4/17/89        All holders of OLs
Supplement 1   Generator Output Circuit                     or CPs for nuclear
               Breakers by Anti-Pump                        power reactors. 
               Circuitry 

89-40          Unsatisfactory Operator Test  4/14/89        All holders of OLs
               Results and Their Effect on                  or CPs for nuclear
               the Requalification Program                  power reactors. 

89-39          List of Parties Excluded      4/5/89         All holders of OLs
               from Federal Procurement                     or CPs for nuclear
               or Non-Procurement Programs                  power reactors. 

89-38          Atmospheric Dump Valve        4/5/89         All holders of OLs
               Failures at Palo Verde                       or CPs for nuclear
               Units 1, 2, and 3                            power reactors. 

89-37          Proposed Amendments to        4/4/89         All U.S. NRC 
               40 CFR Part 61, Air                          licensees. 
               Emission Standards 
               for Radionuclides 

89-36          Excessive Temperatures        4/4/89         All holders of OLs
               in Emergency Core Cooling                    or CPs for nuclear
               System Piping Located                        power reactors. 
               Outside Containment 

88-86,         Operating with Multiple       3/31/89        All holders of OLs
Supp. 1        Grounds in Direct Current                    or CPs for nuclear
               Distribution Systems                         power reactors. 
_____________________________________________________________________________
OL = Operating License
CP = Construction Permit